US1974699A - Cash register - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 25, 1934. c. wERTs wmsa CASH REGISTER Filed Feb. 20, 1932 3 SheetsShee't l F/zsz/ F D1 s s D F.

NO SALE //v VEN TOR ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1934. c. J. wERT 1,974,699

cAsa REGISTER Filed Feb. 20, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. J. WERTS Sept 25, 1934.

CASH REGISTER Filed Feb. 20, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 25, 1934 UNITED ESTATES PATENT CASH REGISTER 7 Charles Jerome Werts, London, England Application February 20, 1932, Serial No. 594,348 In Great Britain March 10, 1931 10 Claims." '(Cl. 235'23) r The primary object of the present inventionconsists in the provision of a cash register in which indicating, adding, and other mechanismsare actuated through the intermediary of displaceable chains-having lateral projections for engagement by the operator.

A further object of the invention isthe provision of an operating chainhaving finger pieces projecting from the-sidesthereof in staggered l relation in order to provide-gaps of convenient size between superposed pieces and yet keep the chain within reasonable length.

A further object of the inventionconsists in the-provisionin a cash register of trigger devices in a datumline arranged to actuate locking mechanism for the chain when an operated finger piece reaches or is adjacent the said datum line. The locking mechanism prevents return movements of the chainand indicating mechanism until such timeas the operator actuates release mechanism therefor.

A further object of the. invention is the pro.-

vision in a cash register of means enabling the adding mechanism to be advanced,- or not, as desiredv whenthe machine is operated. During ordinary usagethe arrangement is such that. the

amounts indicated are added to the total of the adding mechanism; duringpaying-out the amounts although-indicated arenotadded to the total of the said mechanism.

A further. object of the invention is the provision in a cash register of adding mechanism which is connected with the actuating chain through a uni-directionaL clutch one element ofwhich is non-rotatable with-respect to the said chain and another element of which positively connected to or is rigid. with the drum or with a transmission to thedrum on which the figures of the adding .mechanism appear. The clutch member connected to the drum is rotatable with respect to its fellow providedit can displace its fellow-laterally but unless a transfer is to be effected lateral movement. of the saidfellow is prevented by a-finger which, however, is intentionally displaceableto permit of the transfer being made. Owing to this arrangementjump ing of the mechanism i. e. unintended transfers, cannot takeplace.

The above and other objects of the invention will be clear from the following descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings show a cash register provided with endless chains for actuating indicating, adding etc. mechanism and adapted to deal with amounts from a farthing to eleven and eleven pence three farthings; and a halfpenny indicating device for use in place of the farthings w indicating etc. mechanism in the said register;

In these drawings.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine, and;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the said mach ne."

Certain of the parts, including the case,"h'aving been omitted in these figures.-

Fig. 3 is a front view on a larger scaleof part of the mechanism for locking the operating chain and for locking the parts associated withit against unintentional returnmovement after operation, and of automatic selector clutch mechanism for transmitting or nottransmitting, as desired, movements brought-about by the chain to adding mechanism;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sections substantially on the lines IV-IV,-VV, VIVI, respectively of Fig; 3;

Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical sections taken substantially on the lines VII-V1I and VIII-VIII respectively of Fig. 1;

In the example according to Figs. 1 to 8 the machine is operated by downwardly ap-'-- plied'finger pressure on members 1 that project 35 sidewardly of endless chains 2. The finger pieces or members 1 are arranged in staggered relation on opposite sides of their respective chains so that the spacesbetween adjacent pieces easily receive an operators finger whilst the vand 'the remaining finger pieceson the chain are displacedand sprocket wheels 6and 7 over which the lower andupper bends respectively of the chain pass are'turned until the operators finger reaches a datum line, not shown, in which are a number of triggers 88' connected together in pairs. fore depresses a-trigger and a pivotedbolt- 10 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5) against the upper side of which bears one shank 11 of one trigger of a pair is turned on its pivot 12 and the end 13 ofthe .bolt remotefrom the pivot'is introduced The operators finger thereister with 13. The said bar is locked in this position by a catch 14 which extends through and forwardly of a cross bar 15 and engages at its under face with the upper plane face 16 of the bar 10. bar of Fig. 3, and Fig. 4.)

The end 13 of the bar 10 in moving downwardly urges the catch rearwardly owing to the said. endengaging with the inclined end 17 of the catch, and immediately the said end 17 passes the under face of the catch, the catch assumes the locking position under the action of a blade spring 18 which is arranged at the rear of the cross bar 15 and is secured to it by a rivet 19. The wheel 6, the displaced chain and the wheel 7 are now held against return movement.

The wheels 7 are connected (Fig. 1) one to a palr of drums S-S for shillings,-another to a pairof drums D-D for pence, and the other to a pair of drums F-F for farthings, and as each wheel 7 is turned owing to the displacement of the chain its pair of drums is turned through a similar angle and, together with the chainetc, is locked'in the displaced position when the wheel 6 is engaged by 13 as above described. The drums 'S, D, F when turned expose, through windows (not shown) at the right hand side of the front of the machine one of the numerals on each of their peripheries, and the drums S D F expose, through windows at the right hand side of the rear of the machine, similar numerals to a person at the rear. It will be understood that the numerals vexposed in the windows are similar to those represented by whichever of the finger pieces is or are pressed to the datum line, and that owing to the duplicate arrangement of the drums with respect to their windows only the numerals reading'in the order shillings, pence, farthings are exposed to view from the front or from the rear of the machine. The drumsS-S are rigid with each other and are rigidly connected with their wheel 7 by a sleeve '20; the drums Dli) are connectedtogether and to their wheel 7 by a sleeve 21, this sleeve bearing the sleeve 20 and members associatedther'ewith; and the drums FF arerigidly connected with their wheel 7 by a shaft 22 which passes through the bore of sleeve 21 so as. to support the sleeve and is borne at its ends by the upper ends of two upwardly and rearwardly extending side-arms 23 to which the ends of the cross bar 15 are secured'.

- The triggers, besides acting as'above described when depressed, release a cash drawer 24 which a spring 24' opens; For this purpose the shank of one trigger of each pair extends rearwardly of a rod 25 turnably supporting the triggers and passes under a transverse bar 26 which bar, when a pair of triggers is depressed, is raised by the shank and through a pull rod 27 lifts a detent '28 out of a recess 29 in a'longitudinal member 30 of the cash drawer. Therod 25 is supported at its ends in the'a'rms23 and the 'ends'of the bar 26 are (See more particularly the middle ranged each between a blade spring 17 and the cross bar 16 retract the catches 14 with the result that such bolts as have been operated by the triggers are free to move out of the gaps in wheels 6 under the action of tension springs 36 secured at their ends to 13 and 15 respectively. The upward movement of the bolts is assisted by the flanks of the teeth in wheels 6 pressing against the curved sides ofthe bolts owing to the action of torsion springs 37. One end of each spring 37 is anchored at 33 to a wheel 6 and the other end of each spring 37 is anchored at 39 to a non-rotatable shaft 40 borne at its ends in the lower parts of the arms 23 and supporting the wheels Giand other parts later to be described. Each spring 37 is always under considerable stress so that it easily and quickly returns its wheel 6 and the chain and other parts previously moved by the depressing of a finger piece.

For the purpose of enabling the machine to be used for paying out purposes, in which case it is desirable that the amount paid out'and indicated by the drums is not included'in} the total of adding mechanism located on a shaft41 at the front of the machine, the wheels 6 are connected with the adding mechanism through selector clutches 47-50 that can be made operative or inoperative as desired. The selector clutch for farthings is not shown.

If the clutches are operative they are under the control of mechanisms each comprising a stirrup 42 turnably mounted on a screw stud 43 secured to the cross bar 15 and a finger 44 on the under side of each bolt 10, the arrangement being such that when a bolt is depressed the end of the finger'44 contacts at 42 with the adjacent side of a stirrup 42 andturns it on the stud 43. One limb 45 of the stirrup normally extends into a groove 46 in the clutch element 47 and the other limb 48 of the stirrup normally enters one of twelve transverse slots 49 in the periphery of the second clutch element 50. When the stirrup is that wheel 6 andthe clutch elements are free' to rotate on a spacing sleeve 57 carried by the shaft 40. Rotation does not take place until the wheel 6 isreleased by the bolt 10 whereupon the said Wheel under the action of spring 37, is returned to its zero position as previously described and in returning rotates, through the pin 55, the

clutch element 47 which is connected through 51 with element 50. A sprocket wheel 58 rigid with 50 is therefore turned through the-same angle as the wheel 6 and this wheel 58 iscoupled by means of a chain 59 to a sprocket wheel 60 which rotates an adding wheel 62 through a one way dog clutch 61. 'The limb 48 ensures that one of the holes 52 in the clutch element 55 is locked in alignment withthe projection 51 on the element 47 when this latter is'in. its zero position; this' provision being necessary because the element 50 is rotated only in the direction which advances adding mechanism whilst the element 47 turns in both directions with the sleeve 57 on shaft 40 and therefore it would otherwise be possible for the element 50 to get out of angular position with respect to 51.

For the purpose of returning" the stirrup 42 and the element 47 to the zero position after an adding operation, a tension spring 63 is-xanchored at one end to a pin on the stirrup and at the other end to a pin on thecross bar 15. During the return movement the spring 63 isprevented from restoring the stirrup 42 and the partsrnoved when the said stirrup is moved by the finger 44 because abar 65 of oblongsection is interposed betweenthe chain-wheel end of the boss 53 and the said wheel (6). This inter-positioning of the bar is broughtabout by eccentricallypivotingthe bar to the wheel at 64 and securing the bar to a tension spring 66 carried by the wheel 6 tending to urge the bartowards theaxis of the wheel; when the end of the boss53 is carried pastthe said bar owing to the action of stirrup 42 the bar moves inwardly until it contacts with the sleeve 57 and prevents return movement of the boss 53 etc. When the parts reach the zero position (after turning in the direction of arrow A, Figure 4,) a short end 67 of the bar remote from that. end secured to the spring 66 sharply strikes a lug 68 on the cross bar 15 and the bar 65 turns (see arrows B, Figure 4,) until checked by a stop 69 on the wheel 6. The bar is thus pulled away from the sleeve 57 and therefore a clear path is left for the return of the boss 53 which,. together with the parts 47, 51 etc. associated with it return to their initial position. under the action of the spring 63.

For the purpose of enabling the clutches 4750 to be made inoperative so. that an amount although indicated by the drums S-S etc., is not added to the total of the adding mechanism, the pivots 12 of the bolts 10 are mounted upon a transversely slidable bar 70 whereby the bolts 10 may be slid sidewardly to move the fingers 44 out of operative position withrespect to the stirrup 42. The arrangement is such that the bolt 10 can still look the chain wheel 6 etc. against return movement but the. clutch 47-50 remains disengaged and when the wheel 6 etc. are finally released by theoperation of finger lever 34 the wheel returns under the action of spring 37 but no movement is imparted to'the adding mechanism.

The machine is-adapted to print the amount of each transaction by means of three type rollers 71 one for shillings, one for pence and one for farthings. The type rollers and the wheels 72 are carried upon a spindle 73 which is borne at its ends intermediately of the ends of arms 23 and projects at 74 beyond one of the said arms where it passes through the upper end of a-rocking lever 75 located behind lever 34; The lower end of the lever 75 is connected with the finger lever 34 through a horizontal push rod 76 and is turnably carried by a stud 77 screwing into an arm 23. Upon the finger lever 34 being pushed rearwardly the upper end of the rocking lever 75, the end 74 of the spindle 73 and the type rollers 71 are .movedforwardly of the machine. An ink ribbon and paper web are suitably advanced stepwise in front of the type rollers in any suitable known manner so that each forward movement of the said rollers effects the printing of the amount of the transaction. The connection between the'shait 25 of the bolt-releasing mechanism includes an arm 78 fixed on the end of the shaft 25 and a crank 79 projecting from the said end and lying in the rearward path of the lower end of lever 75. A small amount of lost motion occursbetween the lower end of the arm 75and-the crank 79.

in order that a printing operation may beeifected before the bolts are released.

'As previously stated the adding mechanism includes numeral drums 62 and dog clutches 61 for advancing the drums when sprocket wheels 60 are rotated from the sprocket wheels 58. The farthings drum (the right hand drum 62). is rigid with a ratchet wheel 82 and a-collar 83 on which are three projections 84 one of which, every time a 0 on the farthings drurn 52 moves into the visible or indicathig position, rocks a finger 85 on a sleeve 86 and advances the middle drum 62 for pence one step. The connection between the sleeve 86 and the pence drum comprises a finger 87 extending upwardly from the sleeve 86 and a pawl 88 pivoted to the upper end of the finger and engaging a ratchet wheel 89 on a sleeve 90 which sleeve terminates atone end in one element of a clutch 61 and at its other end is secured to the pence drum 62. The sleeve 90 is provided with a projection 91'which at every revolution of the sleeve rocks a finger 92 extending vertically of a sleeve 93 to transfer welve pence to the units drum 62 for shillings. This transfer is effected through the intermediary of a pawl 94 arranged to advance a ratchet wheel 95 rigid with the said drum 62 the pitch of one ratchet tooth at a time. The pawl 94 is mounted at the outer end of an arm 96 projecting rigidly from a shaft 97. This shaft 97 freely'supports the sleeves 85 and 93 and rigidly carries at its end the finger lever 34. Hence when the finger lever is operated in the manner previously set forth the free end of arm 96 and therefore the toe of the pawl is lifted. This movement is ineffective with respect to the ratchet wheel unless he finger 92 has been rocked by the projection 91, when a lug 98 at the end of the sleeve 93 adjacent the pawl rubs against the curved toe of a latch 100 to lift a shoulder 99 of the latch off of a pin 101 on the arm 96 and lower a shoulder 102 on the said latch onto'the said pin under the action of a tension spring 103 secured at one of its ends to a tongue 104 rigid with the sleeve 93 and secured at its other end to the latch, the latch being pivoted at 105 to the pawl 94. The pawl when the shoulder 102 rests upon 101 is in an operative position with respect to the ratchet wheel 95 and as the finger lever 34 is pressed rearwardly a transfer is positively made owing to th said lever being arranged positively to turn the shaft 97 and the arm 96. The nose of the pawl in advancing the wheel 95 rides away from the pin 101 and pulls the latch with it so as to enable the spring 103 to raise the lower curved end of the latch and, when the finger lever 34 is released, to replace the shoulder 99 ready for a subsequent transfer, a tension spring 96 ensuring the return of the arm 96 and the pawl etc. to the position shown.

The sleeves 86, 93 and the fingers on them are returned to the position occupied before being rocked by projections 84 and 91 by means of springs 107 and 107 suitably fixed each at one end to one of the sleeves and at the other end to a base 108. The shillings roller 62 is connected with a tens drum 109 and a pounds drum 110 such that tens and twenties (shillings) are trans ferred in substantially known manner.

For the purpose of preventing jumping? of the pence and shillings adding drums the right hand elements of the dog clutches 61 forthe shillings and pence drums, which elements are not rotatable of their ownaccord, areheld in engagement with their fellow elements by means of fingers 111.

Thefingers 111 bear against shoulders 113 on the ends of sleeves 114 and thus hold the sleeves 114 against lateral movement so that the elements of each clutch cannot be rotated relatively. The finger 111 of the shillings mechanism is arranged to be turned out of engagement with its shoulder and free the clutch elements of the sin'llings drum when lever 34 is operated so as to permitof the pawl 94 advancing ratchet wheel whilst to enable the pence and shillings drums to be zeroized both fingers can be turned out of the paths of the shoulders by rearward pressure on a finger lever 115. The lever 115 is rigid with a sleeve 116 freely mounted on the shaft 97 and the sleeve rigidly carries a crank pin 117. The sleeve 86 and the shaft 97 are provided with rigid projections 118 and 119 respectively disposed in the path of the crank 11'! so that 118 and 119 are displaced when transfers are effected and move independently of each other and of the pin 117 but together with the pin are moved when lever 115 is pressed rearwardly, these latter movements of the parts 118 and 119 being suiiicient to remove fingers 111 from shoulders 113 but insufficient effectively to operate transfer pawls 88 and 94. It is now possible directly to turn the pence and shillings drums 62 since those elements of the clutches 61 rigid with 62 are able laterally to displace their fellow elements in riding over the teeth of the said elements, the said displacement occurring against the action of restoring springs 120 located around shaft 41 and between the ends of elements 114 and collars 122 on the said shaft. The farthings drum may be zeroized simply by turning it and the clutch element with which it is rigid-relatively with respect to its other clutch element, aspring 112 holding the elements in engagement. The shaft 41 which is supported at its ends in side plates 23 integral with arms 23 passes completely through the bores of the memi of the pieces 1 receiving the rearward thrust from and acting as slides for bosses 128 rigid with the pieces 1. The channels are carried by a face plate 129 which also carries the scales and glass covers therefor and which is fixed to the arms 23. 7 It will be understood that the mechanisms described are suitably encased, access to the drums 62, 109110 and to other interior parts of the machine being had only after locked covers or panels have been moved.

Although I have described and shown a single I chain-to each indicating drum or each pair of indicating drums, etc., it is to be understood that two and in some cases more than two chains may be used in place of one, when two or more chains are used they are preferably spaced apart and each will run over wheels such as 6 and '7. The advantage of this arrangement is that a mor rigid construction is provided. "WhatI claim is: ...1. line cash register, a device for indicating the amount of a cash transaction, a chain displaceable by finger pressure for actuating the said device, projections associated with the chain for facilitating the displacement thereof, a sprocket wheel with which the chain engages, means for lockin'gthe sprocket wheel and hence the chain and the said device in post-actuated position, and means for releasing the said device, said locking means comprising a trigger shank that is tripped in the displacement of the chain and a bar that is entered into engagement with the sprocket wheel by the tripping of the said shank.

2. In a cash register, a device for'indicatingthe amount of a cash transaction, a' chain displaceable by finger pressure for actuating the said device, projections associated with the chain for facilitating the displacement thereof, a sprocket wheel with which the chain engages, means for locking the sprocket wheel and hence the chain and. indicating device in post-actuated positions, and means for releasing the said device, said locking means comprising a shank that is tripped in the displacement of the chain, a bar that is entered intoengagement with the sprocket wheel by the tripping of the said shank, and a spring catch arranged to hold the said bar in its operative po sition, and the said means for releasing the indicating device comprising a projection in operative engagement with the catch and a finger lever for shifting the finger to free the catch from the said bar.

3. In a cash register, a device for indicating the amount of a cash transaction, an endless chain displaceable by finger pressure foractuating the said device, projections in staggered relation at the sides of the chain for facilitating displacement thereof, an upper sprocket wheel rotatably supporting the uper end of the chain and a lower sprocket wheel rotatably supporting the lower end of the chain, shafts suporting the sprocket wheels, asleeve borneby the shaft that supports the upper sprocket wheel for connecting the said wheel with the indicating device so that the indicating device is rotated'whenv the uper sprocket wheel is turned owing to displacement of the chain, a tore sionspringborne bythe shaft supporting the lower sprocket wheel connected one end too the said sprocket wheel and the other end to the shaft so. as to be charged when the chain is displaced in the actuating direction, means for holding the 'lower'sprocket wheel against return movement under the action of the charged spring, and means for releasing-the said sprocket wheel to permit of the functioning of the spring, said functioning effecting the ,zeroization of the. sprocket wheels, chain and projections, and indicating device.

4. In a cash register, a device for indicating the amount of a cash transaction, an endless chain displaceable by finger pressure for actuating the said device-projections in staggered rela: tion at the sides of the chain for facilitating displacement thereof, an upper sprocket wheel rotatably supporting the upper end of the chain and a lower sprocket wheel rotatably supporting the lower end of the chain, shafts supporting the sprocket wheels, a sleeve borne by the shaft that supports the upper sprocket wheel for connecting the said wheeiwith the indicating device so that the indicating device is rotated when the upper sprocket wheel is'turned owing to displacement of the chain, a torsion spring borne by the shaft supporting the lower sprocket wheel connected one end to the said sprocket'wheel and the other end of the shaft so as to be charged when the chainis displaced in the actuating direction,

means including a turnably mounted shank and a pivoted bar that is depressed by the shank into engagement with the lower sprocket wheel for the purpose of holding the said sprocket wheel against return movement under the action of the charged spring, said shank being operated in the displacement of the chain, and means for freeing the pivoted bar from the said sprocket wheel to permit of the functioning of the spring, said functioning effecting the zeroization of the sprocket wheels, chain and projections, and indicating device.

5. In a cash register, a device for indicating the amount of a cash transaction, a chain displaceable by finger pressure for actuating the said de vice, slotted projections in staggered relation at the sides of the chain for facilitating the displacement thereof, said projections being movable to and beyond a datum position, a trigger for looking the indicating device in its indicating position, said trigger being in the datum position and being arranged to pass through the slots in the projections as the said projections pass beyond the datum position but being arranged to be tripped to effect the locking when the projection under the direct iniiuence of the operators finger reaches the datum position, and means for releasing the said trigger to free the indicating device.

6. In a cash register, a device for indicating the amount of a cash transaction, a chain displaceable by finger pressure for actuating the said device, projections in staggered relation at the sides of the chain for facilitating the displacement thereof, said projections being movable to and beyond a datum position, means operable from the datum position for locking the indicating device in indicating position, said locking means including a shank, said shank being tripped in the operation of the projections, the means for engaging the shank being operative only when its finger is under the direct influence of pressure from an operator, and means for releasing the locking means and the indicating device.

7. In a cash register, a device for indicating the amount of a cash transaction, a chain displaceable by finger pressure for actuating the said device, projections associated With the chain for facilitating the displacement thereof, said projections being movable to a datum position, a cash drawer,

means tending constantly to open the drawer, and a catch holding the drawer against opening, means for locking the indicating device in its indicating position and for freeing the catch that holds the cash drawer, said locking means including a trigger shank that is tripped from the datum position, and means for releasing the indicating device.

8. In a cash register, a device for indicating the amount of a cash transaction, a chain displaceable by finger pressure for actuating the said device, projections associated with the chain for facilitating the displacement thereof, said projections being movable to a datum position, a cash drawer, means tending constantly to open the drawer, a catch holding the drawer against opening, and means for freeing the catch that holds the cash drawer, said means including a trigger shank that is tripped from the datum position.

9. In a cash register, a device for indicating the amount or" a cash transaction, a chain displaceable by finger pressure for actuating the said device, slotted projections in staggered relation at the sides of the chain for facilitating the displacement thereof, said projections being movable to and beyond a datum position, a cash drawer, a device tending constantly to open the drawer and a catch holding the drawer against opening, and a trigger, said trigger being in the datum position and arranged to pass through the slots in the projections as the said projections pass beyond the datum position but being arranged to be tripped to disengage the catch from the cash drawer when the projection under the direct infiuence of an operators finger reaches the datum position.

10. In a cash register, a device for indicating the amount of a cash transaction, a chain, a

mounting permitting displacement of the chain, finger pieces for facilitating the displacement of said chain, a sprocket wheel with which the chain engages, means for locking the sprocket wheel and thereby the chain and the said device in postactuated position, and means for releasing the said device, said locking means comprising a trigger shank tripped in the displacement of the chain and a bar entered into engagement with the sprocket wheel by the tripping of the shank.

CHARLES JEROME WERTS.

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